Robert Cheeke

Robert Cheeke is an American bodybuilder, motivational speaker and author.

He became a vegan as a teenager in 1995 having developed a close bond with farm animals having been brought up on a farm in Corvallis, Oregon. In an interview with Vegetarian Times he explained his decision to go vegan:

My journey to veganism began when I was a sophomore in high school. My older sister, Tanya, was interested in animal rights and held an animal rights week at our high school in 1995. She became a vegetarian, and I soon followed. For a long time before that, I felt a connection to animals and believed it was wrong to eat creatures with personalities, thoughts, and the ability to show love and affection. I grew up on an animal farm, and my father worked in the animal science department at Oregon State University. It was in this environment, with direct contact to farm animals, that I decided that eating meat was not in accordance with my values. By the time I was a senior in high school, I took over organizing the Animal Rights Week at my high school.

Weighing just 120 lbs at the age of 15, by 2003 he was up to 195 lbs and a competitive bodybuilder.

He is a popular vegan activist and spends his time touring the United States for speaking engagements and book promotions, whilst also running a fitness site, Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness. He is the author of a book of the same name: Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness which includes information on the most important things to consider in order to be a successful vegan bodybuilder including the best way to put together vegan meal programs and training regimens, how to find sponsorship and make bodybuilding a career, and where to find access to vegan products, services, and equipment.